Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2025-08-06

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Aug 6
● Final47 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
234 head
5 vs last sale 239 234 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Slaughter Cattle receipts
295 head
127 vs last sale 422 295 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Replacement Cattle receipts
41 head
211 vs last sale 252 41 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Also sold hereRegular saleFri Nov 7, 2025
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale (6/25/25): The last sale held at Public auction yards was over a month ago as they yards closed down for summer maintenance for the month of July. As a result no full market trend can be established, however market conditions have improved drastically since last sale and all offerings sold with higher to sharply higher undertones. Demand for feeders was good to very good for light offerings. Quality this week was mostly average with a few consignments of attractive quality noticed. Demand for cutting bulls remains very good as several buyers continue to purchase bulls to cut and make steers. Market activity was active with buyers all bidding rapidly. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for light to moderate offerings. Again with the last sale over a month ago no comparisons can be made, however higher undertones were noticed on both feeding and slaughter cows. Cow quality this week was mostly average and quality was not as attractive as it was for the June sale. Weigh up conditions were mixed. While cows offered plenty of muscle and have developed nicely on green summer pastures, many were pushing at least moderate amounts of fill today. Slaughter bulls with higher to sharply higher undertones as demand for both feeding and slaughter bulls was both good to very good. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to develop any trend. Stronger demand was seen for young feeding cows as fed cattle prices have increased sharply from last month. Quality this week was mostly average.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $336.65/cwt on 9 head. That ranks 1 of 19 comparable sales and sits 84.89 against this barn's trailing median of $421.54.
Average price
$336.65
9 head · 596 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,006
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
single grade reported
vs the market
3.58
vs MT average
13.92 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium 1-2596336.652,0069thin
Only one grade was reported at this weight, so there is no spread to compute.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

19 sales
478431384337median 421.5401/0702/2504/1506/0308/19
Heifers 500–600 lb: high $464.07, low $350.88, median $421.54 across 19 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only
This sale9 hd
336.65
MT average2 barns · 20 hd
340.23
−3.58
National average149 barns · 9,537 hd
350.57
−13.92
This barn, trailing median19 sales
421.54
−84.89
A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

Slaughter cattle

By class and quality grade · $/cwt
Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.
ClassGradeDressingAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
BullsAverage1,859194.693,62090
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,611164.362,64721
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,448159.792,314125
CowsLean 85-90%Very Low1,174145.681,71041

Every lot, as filed

47 lots · USDA AMS · Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction - Billings, MT (Wed)
Nothing removed and nothing rounded — the same lots as the USDA report, with per-head values added.
ClassGrade / descriptionWeightAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
SteersMedium and Large 1950–1000957318.00/cwt318.00–318.003,0435
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,005191.46/cwt187.50–195.001,9242
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,009217.84/cwt190.00–237.502,1984
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,035203.15/cwt162.00–210.002,10319
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,150224.56/cwt207.00–285.002,58211
HeifersMedium 1-2550–600596336.65/cwt330.00–345.002,0069
SteersMedium and Large 2700–750711327.50/cwt327.50–327.502,3295
SteersMedium and Large 1700–750716380.00/cwt380.00–380.002,72113
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2900–950923297.27/cwt293.00–299.002,74432
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2600–650602331.65/cwt325.00–335.001,9976
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2950–1000961293.49/cwt292.50–295.002,8205
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Fleshy900–950910280.00/cwt280.00–280.002,5482
SteersMedium and Large 11000–10501,015300.00/cwt300.00–300.003,0451
HeifersMedium and Large 1850–900866311.22/cwt311.00–312.002,6959
HeifersMedium and Large 1900–950933303.80/cwt303.00–307.002,83442
SteersMedium and Large 1-2950–1000965308.31/cwt303.00–311.002,9753
SteersMedium and Large 1900–950935321.00/cwt321.00–321.003,00111
CowsBreaker 75-80%Heavy Weight2,010164.00/cwt164.00–164.003,2961
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,676155.44/cwt148.00–158.502,6056
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,416158.16/cwt154.00–163.002,24059
CowsLean 85-90%1,215115.00/cwt115.00–115.001,3971
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,250164.00/cwt164.00–164.002,0503
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,585172.46/cwt170.50–174.502,7332
HeifersLarge 1Full1050–11001,054272.00/cwt272.00–272.002,8678
BullsLarge 11250–13001,260210.00/cwt210.00–210.002,6462
BullsLarge 11350–14001,353215.00/cwt215.00–215.002,9092
BullsLarge 1-21250–13001,258190.00/cwt190.00–190.002,3902
SteersMedium 1650–700667377.50/cwt377.50–377.502,5185
HeifersMedium 1800–850810304.00/cwt304.00–304.002,4622
BullsReturn to Feed1,648187.54/cwt182.00–194.003,09110
BullsHeavy Weight2,720200.00/cwt200.00–200.005,4401
CowsBoner 80-85%1,633166.43/cwt163.75–171.002,7183
CowsBoner 80-85%1,480155.38/cwt148.00–158.002,30012
Bulls1,958207.58/cwt201.00–215.004,06422
Bulls1,921194.46/cwt188.00–202.003,73637
BullsReturn to Feed1,569180.56/cwt174.00–186.002,8337
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,554168.00/cwt168.00–168.002,61111
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,143140.37/cwt136.00–146.001,60417
Bulls1,759184.58/cwt178.00–189.003,24711
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,209154.21/cwt147.00–159.001,86416
Bulls1,750193.00/cwt193.00–193.003,3781
Bulls1,915198.00/cwt198.00–198.003,7921
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,495162.00/cwt162.00–162.002,4221
CowsBoner 80-85%1,376140.48/cwt130.00–146.001,9337
CowsLean 85-90%1,100128.03/cwt114.00–142.001,4084
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,497168.14/cwt165.00–174.502,51740
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,323142.36/cwt141.00–145.001,8834

How this sale compares

Montana weighted averages
One sale is one barn on one day. The state ladder is every Montana auction USDA reported that week, weighted by head — the fairer test of whether a lot sold well.